It would seem a certain element of the Christian community has not been content to simply tackle the terrors that lie behind other religions, not fulfilled in merely pointing up the sins of other lifestyles, not satisfied in demonizing our current (or past) political leaders.

And please let me be clear about something before I continue on: I don’t consider myself a “progressive” Christian. I don’t consider myself “conservative” either. Or “fundamentalist”. Or, for that matter, “Catholic”, “Lutheran”, “Methodist”, “Protestant”, “Anglican”, “Armenian”, “Reformed”, “Orthodox”, or any of the other 41,000 (!!) denominations subletting what started out as a simple message to “go and make disciples…”.

I have no opinion on the 1st amendment.

Or, the 2nd.

Or any of them for that matter. (Except, maybe, the 18th. That one was just dumb.)

I don’t usually wade in to the political cesspool, but this was too good to pass up. I don’t think Senator McMorris-Rodgers was expecting quite this response to her Facebook query. BUT, a response is definitely what she got…

My wife and I got into a conversation this morning on the implications of sticking one of those little plastic “Jesus fish” on the back of your car. Of course, the conversation was sparked by the behemoth SUV that had cut us off in traffic because the driver was obviously in a bigger hurry than we were aaaaannnnd she just happened to be sporting one of those beloved icons of religious proclamation just above the Chevrolet logo.

We know…

We were, like, inches from it.

Yeah, for our side!

You won!

Here’s the thing: I’m all for a person’s right to declare your religious affiliation from the rooftops. I’m all for being proud of what your God has done in your life. I’m fine with all that.

But a little plastic, stick-on fish on the trunk of your car isn’t doing that!

It’s akin to anonymous online flaming commentaries, passed off as “speaking the truth in love”, yet espousing how Jesus is definitely a white, capitalist-loving, homophobic, republican and anyone who thinks otherwise is going straight to hell in a liberal-infested, compromised, socialist paid-for, moocher-class hand basket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I have an opinion on the matter.

What are the odds that anyone seeing your Jesus fish is actually going to think better of you? Especially when hung on the back-end of your hyper-revving, four-wheeled ego box with you inside all white-knuckled and sweaty, bared teeth, bloodshot eyes, glaring at them while stuck in the midst of 5-o’-clock traffic?

For every hundred people who look at your decal and appreciate the significance of having God in your life, all it takes is that one time—one time—of unvarnished self-centeredness, of a momentary lapse in “do unto others”, that brief flash of annoyance/anger/rage/frustration, to unravel any semblance of the “good news” you’re so halfheartedly trying to spread.

Instead, you merely come off as that hypocritical Christian ass*** who just cut me off in traffic with her gigantic SUV.

No, that’s not actually how I feel. But my point still stands.

Honestly, the gist of the conversation between my wife and I revolved around a supposition that this harried woman may well have had very good reasons for driving as she did. Maybe she was late for a job where one more tardy appearance and she’d be fired. Maybe she just had a phone call over some desperate family emergency. Maybe she was late for a much-needed job interview.

Who knows? And, that’s just the point.

We. Don’t. Know! Any supposition of her true intentions is just that, guess-work.

There’s no intentionality with sticking a Jesus fish on your car. There’s no attempt at relationship. There’s no buy-in. It’s the same as sticking those little anonymous $1,000,000 bills in the New Age books at Barnes & Noble.

All anyone sees is a manic-driven SUV with the shiny bronze Jesus fish on the back and the mind automatically plummets to the lowest common denominator. It’s simple human nature.

Damn hypocritical Christians! Again!

So do us, your Christian brethren, a favor and remove your beloved Jesus fish. All of you. You know who you are.

You’re not helping.

If you want to declare your faith from the rooftops, fine. Do it. With your voice. Not your car. If you’re proud of what the Lord has done in your life, great. Tell the world. It’s called a testimony and it’s the second most valuable gift that God has given you to extend to others.*

By all means, get into a relationship. Or several. Get into a conversation. Face to face. Over coffee. Over lunch. Not over your car’s hood. Not through the rolled down driver’s window at the top of your lungs with your middle finger extended because the guy you just cut off was not happy about the way you just declared your faith and belief to him…

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The spiritual life and random musings of a part-time novelist and Spiritual Drifter…"the trouble is not with the law, for the law is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human…"

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THESE THREADS OF FAITH: A journey of finding my way back to God

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A CALL TO RETURN TO THE BIBLICAL MODEL OF RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP

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THE ONE THAT STARTED IT ALL! CAN LIFE BE CAUSE FOR PROTEST? CAN VIOLENCE BE CAUSE FOR REDEMPTION? TAKE “THE PATH OF JUDGMENT” AND SEE!

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“THE PLAGUE OF GRACE”, A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE. THE 2nd IN THE DRIFTER SERIES!

The 2nd in the Christian suspense Drifter Series, $2.99/ebook or $13.99 paperback. Click on the cover image for more info.

“THE PRICE OF INDIFFERENCE”, A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE, JUDGMENT, AND IDENTITY.

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“THE PRIVILEGE OF SIN”, KAITLYNN HAVENS RETURNS IN A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE

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